Method of scoring rounds of golf

ABSTRACT

A method for scoring a golf tournament that incorporates, in part, a worst ball format is presented. The invention is directed to a tournament or rounds of golf of teams of two golfers each. On certain of the holes, the format is a best ball format. On other holes, the format is a worst ball format, and on yet other holes, the format is a weighted one, in which the scores of the golfer for each hole are added together, and then either the best or worst score for that hole is added again. The team having the lowest total score at the end of the tournament is the winner.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention herein resides in the art of sports and, moreparticularly, to the field of golf. Specifically, the invention relatesto a method for scoring rounds of golf, either singularly or fortournament play. More particularly, the invention relates to a method ofscoring rounds of golf that relies significantly on the utilization ofworst ball scoring, in contradistinction to the best ball scoring thatis often employed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The sport of golf is widely embraced by participants and spectatorsalike. While the athletic ability of the participants and the skillsdemonstrated in their “long” and “short” games contribute significantlyto the enjoyment of the game for both the participant and spectators,further enjoyment, intrigue and challenge comes from the method ofscoring employed. Those familiar with the game of golf are aware of abroad range of formats by which the game is played and scored. By way ofexample, these formats include skins, match play, best ball, points,alternate shot, scramble and the like. Tournaments are often fashionedupon these formats or various combinations thereof.

In team play rounds or tournaments, a best ball format is oftenemployed. In that format, the field may be broken into teams of twoplayers each, and on each hole the lowest or “best” score between thetwo partners is entered for the team. At the end of this best ball roundor tournament, the two man team with the lowest score (aggregate oflowest scores on each hole) is the winner.

A problem with best ball play for such tournaments is the fact that adominant player on any team can remove any doubt as to the outcome ofthe round or tournament early in that round or tournament, reducing thesuspense or intrigue at the end of the round or tournament, where it istypically desired to be highest. Moreover, such best ball tournamentsoften serve to effectively reduce the two golfer team to a one golferteam, again reducing the suspense and intrigue in the round ortournament itself.

There is a need in the sport of golf for a scoring method that givesconsideration to the worst ball on at least certain of the holes of theround or tournament, with the resultant effect of leaving the outcomeeffectively indeterminate until the last putt is made. Consideration ofworst balls in the scoring method also has the tendency to reduce thesignificance of a single dominant player, ensuring that the scores ofboth players will likely be used, and effecting more of a team resultthan a single player result.

It is most desirable to have a scoring method in golf that considersboth the best and worst contributions of team members, that leaves thesuspense as to who will win until the last putt, and that is adaptableto implementation in various formats.

In light of the foregoing, it is a first aspect of the invention toprovide a method of scoring rounds of golf in which the best and worstcontributions from team members are considered in the scoring.

Another aspect of the invention is the provision of a method of scoringrounds of golf in which the effect of a dominant player on any team isreduced by the necessity of scoring the worst ball on various holes.

Yet a further aspect of the invention is the provision of a method ofscoring rounds of golf that leaves the outcome of the round ortournament in suspense until the last putt on the last hole.

Still a further aspect of the invention is the provision of a method ofscoring rounds of golf in which the effects of the impact of the worstball on scoring can be regulated.

Still another aspect of the invention is the provision of a method ofscoring rounds of golf that is exciting for both spectators andparticipants, encompasses the full range of performance of team members,and precludes the weakest team member from simply being carried.

The foregoing and other aspects of the invention that will becomeapparent as the detailed description proceeds are achieved by a methodof scoring a golf tournament between competing teams of at least twopersons each, comprising the following steps: entering for each team thelowest score of the team members for a first set of holes of thetournament; entering for each team the highest score of the team membersfor a second set of holes of the tournament; and totaling the scoresentered for each team from said first and second sets of holes, anddetermining the winner of the tournament to be the team with the lowesttotal score.

Further aspects of the invention which will become apparent herein areachieved by a method of scoring a golf tournament between competingteams of at least two persons each, comprising the following steps:entering as a first score for each team the lowest score of the teammembers for a first set of holes of the tournament; entering as a secondscore for each team the highest score of the team members for a secondset of holes of the tournament; entering as a third score for each teama weighted aggregate score of the team members for a third set of holesof the tournament; and totaling said first, second and third scores, anddetermining the winner of the tournament as the team with the lowesttotal score.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The invention herein will be discussed with regard to a golf tournament.In the context of this description, a tournament may be that typicallyknown to participants and spectators as a multiple day event, whererounds of golf are played on each day. In the context of the descriptionherein, a tournament may also be as small as a single round of golf,such as a 9 hole or 18 hole round.

In the broadest sense, the invention contemplates that certain holes ofgolf in the tournament will be scored on a best ball basis, and otherson a worst ball basis. The invention further contemplates that otherholes might be scored utilizing a weighted aggregate score, in which thebest ball and worst ball are scored, and in which one of those scorescan be weighted greater than the other. In any and all events, it iscontemplated that the participants in the tournaments or rounds areteams made up of two golfers each.

In one format of the invention, the best ball and worst ball are scoredon alternating holes. In this arrangement, the best ball may be scoredon the odd numbered holes and the worst ball on the even numbered holes,or the arrangement may be reversed. Alternatively, it is contemplatedthat for any 18 holes of play, the best ball can be played on the front9 of the course, and the worst ball be scored on the back 9 of thecourse. Yet further, it is contemplated that the tournament might bestructured primarily as a best ball tournament with the worst ball beingscored only on the last hole of any round, whether it be a 9 hole or 18hole round.

In one preferred embodiment of the invention, a 54 hole tournament iscontemplated in which teams of two golfers each are paired against eachother. During the first day of competition (an 18 hole round of golf) abest ball format may be employed. On that day, the best (lowest) scorefor each hole played that day is the score that is actually entered onbehalf of the team. On the second day of the tournament, a low andaggregate format may be employed. By this, it is meant that the scoresof the two golfers on each hole are added together and the lowest scoreis added again to that sum, the result being the score entered for eachhole on that day. It will be appreciated that this has the effect ofenhancing the value or impact of the best ball or lowest score, whilealso considering and giving value to the score of the other team player.On this day of the tournament, the lowest score or “best ball” is giventwice the consideration as the worst ball. On the final day of thetournament, a worst ball format is followed. Here, the highest score oneach hole by a team member is entered on behalf of the team. This finalday of the tournament keeps the outcome of the entire tournament in playuntil the final putt is made. This final day of the tournament also hasa leveling effect against the first day of the tournament in which onlythe best ball was scored. Of course, the team with the lowest score isthe winner or tournament champion.

The tournament format just described serves to ensure that the input ofeach team member is considered and counted. Not only the scores of thestronger member of the team but the weaker member as well impact thefinal score. The second day of the tournament, in which the score isweighted in favor of the best ball, while still giving value to theworst ball, serves to ensure that the total score is impacted more bybetter play and than worse play. The invention does, however,contemplate scoring formats that include the combination of an aggregatescore and the worst score, giving more significance to the worst scoreon particular holes than the better score.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that any number offormats can be implemented consistent with the foregoing. When the worstball is scored and how it is weighted is, in the context of theinvention herein, is a matter of choice, dictated by tournament desire.The number of times that the worst ball is scored, when it is scored,and how it is weighted is all given to variation in implementationsufficient to achieve the result of giving credence to both the best andworst of the play in the tournament, while maintaining the outcome ofthe tournament in suspense throughout.

Thus it can be seen that the various aspects of the invention have beenattained by the method presented above. While in accordance with thepatent statutes only the best known and preferred embodiments of theinvention have been presented and described in detail, the invention isnot limited thereto or thereby. For a true appreciation of the scope andbreadth of the invention reference should be made to the followingclaims.

1. A method of scoring a golf tournament between competing teams of atleast two persons each, comprising the following steps: entering foreach team the lowest score of the team members for a first set of holesof the tournament; entering for each team the highest score of the teammembers for a second set of holes of the tournament; and totaling thescores entered for each team for said first and second sets of holes,and determining the winner of the tournament to be the team with thelowest total score.
 2. The method of scoring a golf tournament accordingto claim 1, wherein said first set of holes comprises holes selectedfrom a first group of (a) 9 holes, (b) 18 holes and (c) one day of playof the match.
 3. The method of scoring a golf tournament according toclaim 2, wherein said second set of holes comprises holes selected froma second group of (a) 9 holes, (b) 18 holes and (c) a second day of playof the tournament.
 4. The method of scoring a golf tournament accordingto claim 1, further comprising the step of entered for each team the sumof the highest score and twice the lowest score of the team members fora third set of holes of the tournament, and in which the step oftotaling comprises totaling the score entered for each team of saidfirst, second and third sets of holes, and determining the winner of thetournament to be the team with the lowest total score.
 5. The method ofscoring a golf tournament according to claim 4, wherein said first,second and third sets of holes each comprise holes of different days ofplay of the match.
 6. The method of scoring a golf tournament accordingto claim 4, wherein said first, second and third sets of holes eachcomprise holes of different rounds of play in the match.
 7. The methodof scoring a golf tournament according to claim 1, wherein said firstset of holes comprises odd numbered holes, and said second set of holescomprises even numbered holes.
 8. The method of scoring a golftournament according to claim 1, wherein said first set of holescomprises even numbered holes, and said second set of holes comprisesodd numbered holes.
 9. The method of scoring a golf tournament accordingto claim 1, wherein said second set of holes comprises the last hole ofa round.
 10. A method of scoring a golf tournament between competingteams of at least two persons each, comprising the following steps:entering as a first score for each team the lowest score of the teammembers for a first set of holes of the tournament; entering as a secondscore for each team the highest score of the team members for a secondset of holes of the tournament; entering as a third score for each teama weighted aggregate score of the team members for a third set of holesof the tournament; and totaling said first, second and third scores, anddetermining the winner of the tournament as the team with the lowesttotal score.
 11. The method of scoring a golf tournament as recited inclaim 10, wherein said weighted aggregate score comprises the sum of thescores of the team members and the lowest score of the team members. 12.The method of scoring a golf tournament as recited in claim 11, whereinsaid weighted aggregate score comprises the sum of the scores of theteam members and the highest score of the team members.
 13. The methodof scoring a golf tournament as recited in claim 10, wherein said firstset of holes is taken from the group of (a) a round of 9 holes, (b) around of 18 holes, and (c) the holes of one of the days of play of thetournament.
 14. The method of scoring a golf tournament as recited inclaim 13, wherein said second set of holes is taken from the group of(a) a round of 9 holes, (b) a round of 18 holes, (c) the holes of one ofthe days of the tournament, and (d) the last hole of at least one roundof holes.
 15. The method of scoring a golf tournament as recited inclaim 14, wherein said third set of holes is taken from the group of (a)a round of 9 holes, (b) a round of 18 holes, (c) the holes of one of thedays of play of the tournament, and (d) the last hole of at least oneround of holes.